


Jersey Boys

by orphan_account



Series: Frerard Oneshots [5]
Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Asshole Frank Iero, Asshole Gerard Way, Banter, Danger Days Era, Fluff, Frank Iero Is A Little Shit, Gerard Way is a Sweetheart, Homophobic Language, Light Angst, Revenge Era Frank Iero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21583561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: from homophobia to teasing, Frank and Gerard buried their feelings beneath arguments and pretended hatred.They're Jersey boys through and through.
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way
Series: Frerard Oneshots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1516007
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	Jersey Boys

_"He was a punk, and he did ballet... what more can I say?"_

Mysterious boys didn't get anywhere in life, his dad had always said. So Frank Iero wore his heart on his sleeve.

But Gerard Way didn't get that particular memo.

He was a perfect student, a perfect friend. And a perfect target. Gerard was pretty, plain and simple. He wore over-sized sweaters and tight jeans, dusting his cheeks in rose blush and painting his lips cherry red. He was adored by his close friends and the female population of Belleville High.

The boys despised Gerard Way. The boy ran his mouth more often than not, and his back-talk usually cost him a trip inside a locker, or worse, the dumpster. He took it all in stride, taunting his attackers when they came close, flirting coquettishly and insulting them. Those were the only times Gerard was not his usual kind, polite self.

Frank fought for his status, earning a shaky place among the jocks, and a permanent place at the stoner table. He proved himself numerous times by mocking Gerard behind his back and bantering lightly with the toxic masculinity he hung around. He was the stoner guitarist, the one you went to for a pack of smokes and a good time, no matter your gender. 

His parents didn't care who he brought home and neither did he. 

The girls liked him and the boys trod carefully. No one messed with Frank Iero. No one would dare.

Except, it seemed... a certain artist with a taste for trouble and strawberry lip balm.

~

"Hey, faggot!" Frank jeered, seeing the taller boy across the hall at his locker. Gerard looked to see who had yelled and laughed when he saw the short punk, Halloween decorations fluttering about on the walls around them.

"Takes one to know one, Iero!" Gerard shot back, slamming his locker closed and smiling widely, his rather small teeth on display. Frank was disconcerted, no one talked back to him. Ever.

"How your ass after taking your boyfriend's dick last night?" Frank tried again, glaring at the boy across from him. Gerard laughed again, a contagious giggle resonating through the clamour of students.

"Oh honey, you know I don't bottom for anyone," Gerard sang, obviously taking pride in the steady increase of Frank's temper. "You're the twink, sugar. So you tell me how _your_ ass is."

"I'm not a fucking twink, fag!" Frank shouted, rushing at the taller boy, pinning him to the lockers with a clang. "Watch your mouth around me or I'll knock your stupid teeth in," He threatened. Gerard rolled his eyes, shoving Frank off him.

"I have no idea why people are scared of you, Frankie," Gerard sighed, picking up a binder he'd dropped. "You're too damn cute." This was what Gerard did. He made his voice sickly-sweet and complimented them, gushing almost. Then the insults came pouring out and he got shoved in a locker. 

"Save your breath, you can't seduce me, Way," Frank snorted, eager to get the upper hand. It wasn't often that someone beat him in an argument.

"Give me ten minutes, some coffee and I'll have you wrapped around my pinkie finger, sugar," Gerard challenged. "If you're worth my time."

"You sure as hell ain't worth mine, loser," Frank scoffed, turning on his heel to walk away, knowing he'd lost. 

"Aw, don't be like that baby!" Gerard mocked as Frank marched off. "You know you love me!" All he heard in reply was a muffled derisive snort, which had him smirking. 

~

Gerard found himself dreading the coming summer months, longing for the sweater weather that he thrived in. 

It was late April and Gerard had just turned eighteen, the warm humid air causing his treasured blue sweater to stick to his skin. In a moment of heat-induced weakness, the artist pulled the thick material over his head, letting his arms breathe. Gerard was wearing a rather large tank top underneath, so he simply tied the arms of his sweater around his waist and continued through the courtyard of the high school, inhaling the scents of spring.

Maybe it was just his artistic instinct, but Gerard was always able to appreciate and take note of the beautiful changes in his surroundings. Like how the expansive field was littered with gold, dandelions coating the grass in their vibrant colour. Gerard felt a sudden itch for his paints, wishing he'd brought his sketchbook. Lunch had just begun and students were all around, talking in small groups and laughing.

He took notice of a lone boy sitting underneath a tree nearby, somewhat secluded away from the rest of the student body. He had a guitar with him and he played with his eyes closed gently, his mouth quirked in concentration. The notes were soft and connected, harmonizing beautifully.

It was Frank. He was wearing a red t-shirt with illegible words messily scrawled over the faded logo, his black ripped jeans secured by a studded belt. He had gotten numerous tattoos since his birthday last year, the lopsided scorpion in plain sight from where Gerard stood. 

Gerard watched him for a moment, tracing the lines of Frank's tattoos with his eyes. Frank was quite an attractive guy, there was no question. Gerard often found himself guilty of drawing his likeness more times than he could count. He fervently wished that the boy reciprocated his feelings... But alas, Gerard believed he had no chance.

So he settled with teasing and light flirting.

"It's so sweet of you to serenade me, sugar," Gerard announced, sitting beside him. Frank's eyes flew open and he flushed bright red. 

"Fuck off, Way," Frank grumbled. He gripped the neck of his acoustic and cursed Gerard Way for being so damn pretty and distracting.

"By all means, continue," Gerard commanded sweetly, waving his ink-stained hand at Frank idly. 

"I'm not playing for you," Frank muttered, restarting nonetheless. He finger-picked the strings expertly, trying to concentrate despite his audience. He vaguely remembered naming this song 'Early Sunsets Over Monroeville' and wishing for a second guitarist to hold up the melody. It was only a guitar part, there were no lyrics yet. He felt as if the song needed them, however. There was a story behind the chords, it was just unknowable for now.

"That was really pretty, Frankie," Gerard commented as Frank plucked the last few haunting notes.

"I know," Frank replied cheekily, earning a wide smile from the artist beside him.

The silence was heavy after that. Unspoken words and questions deafened their unhearing ears. Frank cast a glance at Gerard and froze. The older boy was gazing at him with an intense expression, as though he were deciding something.

"Have you ever been in love?" Gerard asked suddenly, looking far away. Frank thought for a moment.

"Not with a person," He answered carefully. He wasn't even sure why he answered in the first place. There was something about Gerard Way that drew him in.

"So, you've been in love with something?" Gerard pressed. Frank nodded.

"Music," He said simply, propping his acoustic against the tree trunk behind him.

"I'm in love with art, so I understand," Gerard replied thoughtfully, his smile shining bright.

"Why did you want to know?" Frank inquired, eager to know a little more about the inspirational boy that the world saw.

"We're both almost eighteen," Gerard sighed, meeting Frank's gaze head-on. "We are capable of falling in love, but I've never loved anyone like that, you know? Maybe it's just Jersey, like the way we live here."

"Maybe we're just hopeless Jersey boys," Frank supplied, nodding.

"Do you _think_ you could fall in love?" Gerard asked wistfully as if he were thinking about some long lost life he'd experienced before. Frank laughed quietly, feeling closer to this mysterious boy than before.

"I hope so," Frank replied eventually, looking around at the dandelions that Gerard seemed to be sitting in the midst of. 

He was beautiful. The thought struck Frank quite suddenly. His baby blue sweater and yellow dandelions lying together peacefully, his grey top cut at the sides enough to show some pale skin of his stomach. His red hair was vibrant against the deep blue sky as Frank lifted his eyes to meet Gerard's. It was cheesy and horrible, but their hearts didn't beat separately anymore.

Linked by whatever passion the two boys had held behind them, determined to hide it from the other, the beating of their hearts unified in one single moment.

Gerard lurched forwards, knocking the guitar on to the soft grass as he tackled Frank into a heated kiss, their pent-up frustrations flowing through their skin. Frank reacted in an instant, kissing back as desperately as the boy on top of him.

They moved in unison, the artist's hands tangled firmly in Frank's hair and Frank's fingers ghosting around Gerard's sides, clutching at the grey fabric. 

Frank's lips against Gerard's were soft and pliant while Gerard's were demanding and already wet with spit.

"Your lips are slimy," Frank gasped as they pulled back for a breath, their hair tousled and clothes rumpled. Gerard barked out a nervous laugh.

"That's 'cuz I was talking," He explained, running a careful hand through Frank's dark locks. Frank leaned into the touch, looking up at Gerard through his eyelashes. The silence occurred again, but this time the deed was done and the boys were relaxed, grinning at each other.

"I don't know what just happened, but I think I like you," Frank said, tightening his grip on the fabric in his hands.

"I think I like you too, sugar," Gerard breathed, pressing a chaste kiss to Frank's cheek.

"I'm sorry for being an asshole," The punk continued, feeling guilty for the past year he'd been harassing the boy he liked. Gerard shook his head.

"What's done is done, I was a dick too," Gerard replied firmly, making Frank's heart melt. "All you have to apologize for is being so damn cute."

"Says you!" Frank giggled, shoving at the taller. But Gerard had too tight of a grip so Frank couldn't wriggle away.

"I'm not letting go for a while," Gerard hummed happily, nestling his face in Frank's hair, his hand drifting down to massage the skin at Frank's hips idly.

Their dynamic had shifted completely and neither boy would question it. All they knew was they were happy.

~

"Gee?" Frank called, setting his keys on their apartment's key hook. It was relatively small, but it was just big enough for the couple. 

Gerard and Frank officially moved in together about six months after graduation when Gerard was enrolled in the School Of Visual Arts in New York on his scholarship, the pair renting an apartment not far off-campus. 

They were only about a half an hour drive from where they grew up so it wasn't that big of a change.

Frank had dropped his idea of going to Rutgers University in favour of becoming a musician. His band was steadily climbing the ranks as their first record gained traction in the scene early on.

"Gerard, you asshole!" Frank shouted again, hoping to grab his boyfriend's attention. It had been a year of them living together and it felt like forever already. Frank huffed in annoyance and shrugged off his jacket. He stalked over to their room, intending to throw a tantrum if it turned out that Gerard was pulling one of his many pranks. 

Their life was what you'd expect of a normal couple. They had their spats here and there, but they always managed to make up afterwards. And make out, usually. Life with Gerard was content and exciting every single day. He always managed to surprise Frank, even though they basically had each other memorized.

"Darling?" Frank called softly, knocking on their closed door. It swung open on impact and Frank shrieked as Gerard was right in front of the door, scaring the shit out of him.

"Fucking hell, you bastard!" Frank cursed, clutching his chest theatrically. He wasn't really paying any attention to Gerard, only on making the biggest scene possible. He stumbled past his boyfriend, purposely looking away and huffing obnoxiously. "You scared me!" Frank fake sniffled, hearing a stifled laugh come from the man behind him. 

But Gerard never moved to hug him or kiss him. Frank sighed and faced him.

"Where's my hug-...?" Frank trailed off, his breath stolen. Gerard wasn't standing by the door, holding something kinky. He wasn't brandishing some groceries with mystery candy. He wasn't carrying a bouquet of flowers. 

One knee resting on the floor, his other foot planted beside him. Down on one knee. His back was straight and both hands were holding the small clasped box open. His head was up and his gaze piercing through Frank. The ring caught the candlelight.

"Surprise," Gerard whispered, a small joyous and hopeful smile gracing his lips.

"O-Oh..." Frank breathed out, tears arising quickly.

"Despite our rocky start, you have truly been the light of my life," Gerard said calmly, his voice not wavering. He was so certain. "My love, you're the one thing I love most. I asked you if you thought you could fall in love, that first day we kissed. That day was the best day of my short life. I didn't think I could have someone as special as you in my life and here we are. You're an asshole, you're kind of greedy. But, fuck..." Gerard choked off, finally cracking.

"I love you more than anything, so Frank Anthony Thomas Iero Jr., will you marry me?" He finished, the light catching the ring as he stopped speaking. Frank's tears flowed freely now, and his hands were clasped over his mouth as he flicked his gaze from the ring to Gerard's eyes.

"Is that even a question?!" Frank cried, launching himself forwards as Gerard had done two years ago and wrapped his arms around the taller man, peppering his face in kisses. "Of course I'll marry you!"

They were special, Frank and Gerard. Their situation wasn't though. They were not the first of many couples to declare their love with tacky candles, rose petals and an overdramatic speech. 

They were just boys.

Jersey boys through and through.


End file.
